Lesson 23

This is a lesson that I did with Dori at practice today.  The goal was to build a lesson based on plate 7 that encompassed all of the variations that are described in the plate.  I taught this lesson right handed.

1. From the instructor’s invitation in 4th, straight thrust.
2. In time, as the instructor changes to the invitation in 4th, straight thrust.
3. In time, as the instructor attempts to engage in 4th, disengagement.
4. In time, gain in 4th and glide.
5. From the student’s gain in 4th, parry 3rd, riposte by glide (no lunge)
6. From the student’s gain in 4th, parry 3rd, riposte by glide with a lunge
7. From the student’s gain in 4th, parry 3rd with a gaining step, riposte by glide with a lunge
8. From the student’s gain in 4th, parry 3rd with the false edge (hand in 4th), riposte with a cut to the inside cheek.  (no lunge)
9. From the student’s gain in 4th, parry 3rd with the false edge (hand in 4th), riposte with a cut to the inside cheek with a lunge.
10. From the student’s gain in 4th, parry 3rd with the false edge (hand in 4th) with a gaining step, riposte with a cut to the inside cheek with a lunge.
11. In time, blade seizure in 4th and glide (no blade contact)
12. In time, as the instructor attempts a blade seizure in 4th, disengagement in time.
13. In time, blade seizure in 4th.  As the instructor attempts a disengagement in time, time thrust in 3rd in counter time.
14. In time, blade seizure in 4th.  As the instructor attempts a disengagement in time, arrest in counter time.
15. In time, as the instructor attempts a blade seizure in 4th, feint by disengagement in time, parry 3rd, riposte by glide with a lunge.
16. In time, as the instructor attempts a blade seizure in 4th, feint by disengagement in time, parry 3rd with a gaining step, riposte by glide with a lunge.
17. In time, as the instructor attempts a blade seizure in 4th, feint by disengagement in time, parry 3rd with the false edge, riposte with a cut to the inside cheek with a lunge.
18. In time, as the instructor attempts a blade seizure in 4th, feint by disengagement in time, parry 3rd with the false edge with a gaining step, riposte with a cut to the inside cheek with a lunge.
19. From the invitation in 4th, three straight thrusts. End of lesson.

Note:  The distinction I am making between actions 13 and 14 is that the first is done with a fixed foot lunge and the arrest is done with a lunge.  This gives a subtle difference in timing between the actions. To execute the action properly without a lunge you should wait as long as you can before starting the counter.  If you start too soon and are not prepared to lunge the opponent will have plenty of time to defeat your counterattack.  To do the arrest you should lunge the instant you realize that the opponent has disengaged against your blade seizure.  Because the opponent is closing distance with the blade seizure and you are lunging with the arrest, there is a good chance that the hit will be pretty hard.  The arrest should be fast enough that it lands just as the opponent is starting their lunge – preventing them from actually completing it.  I am not entirely certain that the term ‘arrest’ is appropriate for this action as the usage here is significantly different than what Gaugler describes in Science.  To my mind at least, this makes sense.

Also, it is not explicitly stated in the lesson, but the later actions build off of the instructor attempting the arrest in counter time rather than the time thrust in counter time.  This makes managing the timing and distance considerably easier.

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